The Judgment of Arab Nations

The Message is God wants His people to know that He will judge the Arab nations that have constantly persecuted Israel.

It is clear in scriptures that from the time of the birth of Ismael and Isaac there has been conflict between the Israel and the Arabs.

Most notably in recent years starting in 1947 when the United Nations partitioned off a small piece of land in Palestine in order to establish the modern state of Israel. That very moment the Arab world went on a rampage against Israel that has lasted to this very day.

David E Thompson pastor of Texas Corner Bible Church said “ There has been 5 major wars between the Arabs and Israel. The first war occured between 1947-49 when Arab guerrillas attacked Jewish settlements to try to prevent the British mandate to give Israel her land. The second war occurred in 1956 when Arab guerrillas raided southern Israel and blocked Israeli shipping in the Suez canal and the Gulf of Aqaba. The third war occured in 1967 when Israel destroyed the Arab forces all the way to the Suez Canal in less than four days. The fourth war occurred in 1973 when Egypt and Syria attacked Israel for 18 days until the United Nations intervened. The fifth war occurred in 1982 when Israel invaded Lebanon to stop all the border attacks against Israelis. In the last few years there has been and still is tremendous tension between the Israeli and the Arab world.

Isaiah 21 is an amazing chapter for Israel because God shows Israel what He intends to do to the entire world of the Arabs who have been a thorn in Israel’s side all along.

Joseph Alexander , a Biblical linguist and theologian of the mid 1800’s concluded after analyzing this chapter that what is predicted here had not fully happened anywhere in history. He said “future discoveries may throw light on these brief and obscure prophecies. (Commentary on Isaiah,p. 378)

Again I think the main point of this prophecy is that God will judge the Arab nations that have constantly persecuted Israel.

The Oracle against Edom (Vs11-12)

Isaiah 21:11–12 NKJV

11 The burden against Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?” 12 The watchman said, “The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; Return! Come back!”

Sier is the mountainous region to the South of Palestine, of which Edom took possession after the expulsion of the Horites. Edom is the name given to Esau after he sold his birthright to Jacob for some red stew.

Genesis 25:30 NKJV

30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom.

Ezekiel prophesied that God would target Edom for his wrath all the way across the Arabian Desert because they have dealt so treacherously with Israel.

Ezekiel 25:13–14 NKJV

13 therefore thus says the Lord God: “I will also stretch out My hand against Edom, cut off man and beast from it, and make it desolate from Teman; Dedan shall fall by the sword. 14 I will lay My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel, that they may do in Edom according to My anger and according to My fury; and they shall know My vengeance,” says the Lord God.

Notice the Scripture says “he calls out to me”. Someone from Edom calls out to the watchman. It was not uncommon for prophets to be approached by people of other nations, for exaple:

2 Kings 8:7 NKJV

7 Then Elisha went to Damascus, and Ben-Hadad king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, “The man of God has come here.”

So believe that during the Tribulation period the Arabs will realize they cannot get answer of any of this that is going on from Mecca or the prophets of Muhammed, so they will seek out someone who knows the Word of God. The Arabs will want to know what is going on and how long it will last.

Isaiah 21:12 NKJV

12 The watchman said, “The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; Return! Come back!”

The morning comes, and also the night , Luther said “ When morning comes it will still be night”. As a sick person hopes to get through the night when morning comes its just as dark as the dead of night. Historically the Assyrian period of judgment was followed by the Chaldean, the Chaldean by the Persian, the Persian by the Grecian, and the Grecian by the Roman and obviously yet to come is the Tribulation ruled by the Anti-Christ.

Vs 12 the watchman says if you want to know keep coming back and inquiring. You must continually sit under someone who knows the Word and teaches the Word.

According to Arnold Fruchtenbaum in his commentary on Isaiah An Exposition from a Messianic Jewish perspective “Edom is going to play a central role in the Campaign of Armageddon. In the second half of the Tribulation, the Jews will be hiding out in this country. However this will not be the result of Edom’s love for the Jewish people. On the contrary, Edom will do whatever it can to turn the Jews over their enemies. Edom will also be the place of the Second Coming of Messiah. When Messiah returns, He will rescue the final Jewish remnant hidden in the land of Edom before marching to Jerusalem. Then Edom will become the second burning wasteland of the Messianic kingdom after Babylon.. While the whole world will be beautified by Messiah, two locations will remain as burning wastelands, both Babylon and Edom will become the abode of demons for the entire Millennium. According to Mr Fruchtenbaum the full meaning of this passage can only be understood by studying other passages (Isaiah 34:1-17; 63:1-6; Jeremiah 49:7-22; Ezekiel 25:12-14,35:1-15; Hosea 2:12-13; Amos 1:11-12; Obadiah 21; Malachi 1:2-5)

The Oracle agains Arabia (Vs13-17)

Isaiah 21:13–17 NKJV

13 The burden against Arabia. In the forest in Arabia you will lodge, O you traveling companies of Dedanites. 14 O inhabitants of the land of Tema, Bring water to him who is thirsty; With their bread they met him who fled. 15 For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, From the bent bow, and from the distress of war. 16 For thus the Lord has said to me: “Within a year, according to the year of a hired man, all the glory of Kedar will fail; 17 and the remainder of the number of archers, the mighty men of the people of Kedar, will be diminished; for the Lord God of Israel has spoken it.”

Isaiah now turns his attention to Arabia. This section is divided into two parts. The judgment of Dedan vs 13-15 and the judgment of Kedar vs 16-17.

In the period of the Hebrew Scriptures Arabia was never a unified kingdom as it is today under the Saudis. The land was always composed of various tribes and the judgments would come against these two key tribes.

The Dedanites are metioned prophetically here also in Jeremiah25:23; 49:8 and Ezekiel 25:13; 27:15,20;38:13. Dedan was the son of Jockshan, who was the son of Abraham by Keturah

Genesis 25:3 NKJV

3 Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.

These Abrahamic relatives were known for their ability to travel as “caravan merchants” from the Persian Gulf area all the way to Israel.

Ezekiel 27:15 NKJV

15 The men of Dedan were your traders; many isles were the market of your hand. They brought you ivory tusks and ebony as payment.

Ezekiel 27:20 NKJV

20 Dedan was your merchant in saddlecloths for riding.

Saudi Arabia sits between the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf just south of Israel. During the Tribulation period many Israelis will literally flee Israel and head into this part of the world. Tema is a spot located about halfway between Damascus and Mecca along the Red Sea. You may recall according to John in Revelation when God levels Babylon, He tells His people to get out of there.

Revelation 18:4–6 NKJV

4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6 Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her.

There will be some Arabs that help God’s people who are fleeing for their lives. God will raise up some people of the Arab groups that will help His people with food and water. The end result will they will also enter the Kingdom.

Matthew 25:31–46 NKJV

31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ 44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Whenever God’s people of any dispensation obey the Word of God, He will raise up people who will take care of His faithful people.

Isaiah 21:16–17 NKJV

16 For thus the Lord has said to me: “Within a year, according to the year of a hired man, all the glory of Kedar will fail; 17 and the remainder of the number of archers, the mighty men of the people of Kedar, will be diminished; for the Lord God of Israel has spoken it.”

Kedar was the second son of Ishmael who formed the tribe who bore his name.

Genesis 25:13 NKJV

13 And these were the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

Little is known of these Arab nomads, but what is predicted heres is there will only be a few Arabs left when all is said and done. This whole prophetic judgment would only take about one year for God to fulfill. God will literally wipe the Arabs out in one year.

Interestingly enough notice the contrast between the two. For the Edomites nothing would be left, total destruction however for Arabia there will be a remnant. But in both cases God will judge the Arab nations for their constant persecution of His people.

This prophecy is about God letting His people know He will judge the people who have most persecuted them. This also reaffirms that God will bless those who bless His people. May we never forget God is faithful!